Railway signaling system.



v1 To.'790,320. PATENTED MAY 23,1905.

B. F. SAURMAN. RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 0011.8. 1904.

- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A: Zfliw No. 790,320. PATENTED MAY 23, 19 05.

I B. F. SAURMAN. RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1904.

WA 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

d1 I d r5fvvw" I {yLLbo tvuc a No. 790,320. PATENTE-D MAY 23, 1905.-

B. P. SAURMAN.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED 0018. 1904.

5sIiEnTs-sHEET/a.

No. 790,320. 7 PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

' B. P. SAURMAN.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1904.

w 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0.'v90,320. I PATEVNTQVED MAY 23,1905. B. F. SAURMANT RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM,

LPP LIO ATION FILED OUT. 8. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

;/ 7/ Y 9 7 i Wf' UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 19,05.

PATENT OFFICE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,320, dated May 2 3, 1905. Application filed October 8, 1904. Serial No. 227,687.

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. SAURMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a railway signaling system; and in such connection it relates more particularly to visual and audible signals preferably arranged in the cab of a locomotive and adapted to be automatically actuated by mechanism controlling the wayside signals and to be employed in conjunction with different types of block-signal systems.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a visual and audible signal for a train adapted to indicate at all times to the engineer, fireman, or other persons in charge of a train a clear track or-danger ahead or to exercise situations the condition condition of the tracks caution in the running of the train, thus to insure greater safety in the running of the train and permitting the engineer, fireman, or other persons of the train in particularly foggy weather to be informed under-varying of the tracks by the visual and audible signals, whereby the true ahead from the train", as well as from the cab of the locomotive, can be readily or quickly determined. 5

My invention, stated in general terms, con"- sists of a railway signaling system constructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and scope of my present invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view illustrating a railroad wayside signal, means for controlling the wayside signal, and actuating visual and audible signals arranged in a suitable part of the cab of an engine or in a coach of the train, embodying main features of my invention. 'Fig. 2 is a top or plan view illustrating the wayside signals and the means for actuating a search-wheel controlling the visual and audiblesignals. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating in side elevation mechanism operating a wayside signal for holding an obstruction in and out of the path of the search-wheel. Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the obstruction or block and its housing-illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view, enlarged, illustrating, partly in side elevation and partly in section, the visual signal and means for actuating the same. Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of Fig. 5, partly in section. Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating in top or plan view the means for controlling the audible signal. Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating in side elevation an arm and pawl for actuating the visual signal. Fig. 9 is a detail view, enlarged, illustrating in front elevation and partly in section the search wheel and means connected therewith for ac tuating the visual signal; and Fig. 10 is a side elevational View of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, a represents wayside signals consisting of a post a, to which are movably secured signal-arms a and (4 which by means of rods o are normally held in a horizontal or operative position. These signalarms a and (b are colored, preferably green and red, and form when occupying their operative positions danger-signals. When. one of these arms is depressed, the caution-signal is formed, and by depressing both arms the free-track signal is'established. To the free end of each of the rods a is secured an arm a projecting in the path of an arm a, secured to a shaft a, the arm a of which is engaged by an arm (0 secured to a piston-rod a WVhen the pistonrod a and arm a are moved toward the cylinder (0 the movement is transmitted to the arm a, shaft a, and arm a, which in turn by actuating the arm a raises the rod a and depresses the signal-arm connected with the same. Each of the signalarms a and a is, however, independently operated, and for this purpose there is provided a cylinder (4 for each, in which an actuating fiuidfor instance,- compressed gas stored in a tank a -is introduced by a pipe a, controlled by a valve a, and permitted to escape therefrom by a valve a. The movement of the piston-rods a controlling the movement of the signal-arms a and (63, are also utilized to control the movement of visual and audible signals arranged in the cab of a locomotive (not shown) and in a position in the same where the visual signal is always in plain view and the audible signal in audible or hearing distance of the engineer. The preferred mechanism employed for this purpose is as follows: As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, each of the piston-rods a by means of a chain or cable 5 is connected with a block 7), the arched head I) of which is arranged adjacent to a rail (Z. The blocks 6 are arranged a certain distance apart to permit of actuation of the same independently of each other for a purpose to be presently more fully described. Each block b has a range of sliding movement in a vertical plane within a bracket 0, secured to the ties at" and in a standard 0, and is held therein in an elevated or operative position by a spring 0 The standard 0, located in a housing 0, preferably of masonry, is provided with a sheaf-wheel 0 over which the chain or cable 5 passes, as shown in Fig. 3. The arched head Z) of the block bis located in thepath of the flange e of a wheel 6, hereinafter called a search-wheel, and which wheel by means of a yoke (2 is secured in a manner not shown to any suitable part of the engine of a train passing over the rails 03 and is adapted to .travel in close proximity to a rail d, as shown in Fig. 1. The yoke e is provided with slots 6 in which are loosely mounted blocks e, serving to support a shaft 0 passing therethrough. To the shaft 6 is secured the forked end 6 of a rod 0, preferably terminating in the cab of an engine, which rod is provided at its free end with a pawl 6 the teeth a of which by means of a spring 6 are held in engagement with the teeth f of a gear-wheel f of a visual signal to be presently more fully explained. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the gear-wheel f meshes with a. gear-wheel f loosely mounted on a shaft f and is held in frictional engagement therewith by means of a springf by forcing a disk f fixed to the shaft f into a eomplemental depression f, arranged in the gear-wheel f and in such manner as to couple the gearwheel f to the shaft f The shaftf of the gear-wheel f and shaft f of the gear-wheel f are supported by a standard f which may be secured to any suitable part of the engine, but preferably adjacent to a window in the cab which commands a plain view of the track and the wayside signals a and (f. To the shaft f of the gear-wheel f is arranged a disk 9, in which are inserted, preferably, circular panes of glass g, 9 and of which the pane 9 consists of clear white or frosted glass, the pane g of green glass, and the pane g" of red glass corresponding in color to the red-colored arm a and the green-colored arm a of the wayside signal. These three panes of glass g, 9 and 9 form the visual signal,

which is inclosed in a housing /1, preferably arranged adjacent to a window in the enginecab facing the track. An opening [1,, arranged in the housing 71, permits of the exposure of two of the panes. However, in the normal position of the visual signal the white pane g is only visible therein, indicating a clear track. Preferably behind the housing It and opposite its opening it is arranged a light (not shown) of sufiicient power to conspicuousl y light up the visual signals exposed in the opening lb and to make the same an object which cannot fail to be observed by the engineer at all times. When the engine of the train traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 reaches the first of the blocks 6, which, as hcreinbefore described, occupies an elevated position when the greencolored wayside-signal arm a occupies its operative horizontal position, the search-wheel e, contacting therewith, with its flange (2', will be elevated in the yoke (2 The movement of the search-wheel is transmitted to the gearwheels f and f which latter by turning the shaftf rotate the disk 7 and move the green pane g opposite the opening 71/ in the housing/t, in which now the white pane g and the green pane g are exposed, both of which form the caution-signal. The train proceeding on its way, the search-wheel c by reaching the second of the blocks 7), controlled by the mechanism operating the red-colored upper arm a of the wayside signal, will again be actuated, which movement of the searchwheel transmitted to the disk l1 will swing the white-colored pane of glass 7 beyond the opening h in the housing it and bring the red-colored pane of glass 7 into the position previously occupied by the green colored glass 9 Red and green will now be exposed in the opening It, which two colors form the danger-signal. In the position of the disk It, exposing the caution-signal in the opening 71 of the housing /a, an audible signal is simultaneously actuatedand if the engineer through one cause or the other should fail to observe the danger-signal displayed in the engine he would be informed by the audible signal of the impending danger.

The preferred mechanism for actuating the audible signal is as follows: To the disk (1 is secured a contact-strip g, which when the ICC same is turned to expose the caution-signal is terposed any number of alarm-bells, one of which, for instance, may be placed near the firemans stand in the engine and another one in a coach of a train generally occupied by the conductor. The bell 4 will be rung as soon as the disk 9 exposes the white and green panes of glass 9 and 9 forming the cautionsignal, and continue to ring when the disk 9 is further turned to expose the danger-signal,

and since the disk 9 can only be returned manually to its normal position the bell will not cease. to ring until the disk is turned by the engineer. If the alarm-bell rings for an exceptionally long period of time, it will indicate to the other persons of the train that the engineer has failed to actuate the disk g either through incapacity or neglect. In both instances the fireman, conductor, or any other one of the persons of the train may bring the same to a standstill by actuating the air-brakes. In order to return the disk 9 to its normal position, in which only the white glass g is in open view in the opening It, the shaft f is moved slightly towardthe housing It against the tension of the spring f which movement disengages the disk f from the depression f 6 in the gear-wheel f and permits the turning of the shaft f and disk 9.

Instead of using transparent coloredglass for the panes g, 9 and g any other suitable transparent and even opaque material may be used to form the visual signals. The visual and audible signals may also be operated by signals indicating the position of the switches.

Having thus described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railway signaling system,two blocks, means adapted to normally hold said blocks in an elevated position, piston-rods adapted to actuate wayside caution and danger signals and to depress said blocks and visual and audible signals carried by the train, said visual signal adapted to be successively operated by said blocks when occupying an elevated position, and said audible signal adapted to be controlled by the actuation of the visual signal, when 00- cupying a certain position.

2. In a railway signaling system, caution and danger signals normally occupying a raised or operative position, blocks normally occupying a raised or operative position, piston-rods adapted to depress said signals and blocks, visual and audible signals carried by the train and adapted to be operated by said blocks when occupying a raised position.

3. In a railway signaling system, piston-rods adapted to actuate wayside signals, blocks, movable means arranged adjacent to the rail adapted to be controlled by said piston-rods, and visual and audible signals carried by the train, said visual signal adapted to be successively operated by said blocks, and said audible signal adapted to be controlled by the. visual signal, when the same occupiesa certain position.

4. In arailwaysignalingsystem,pist0n-rods adapted to actuate wayside signals, blocks movably arranged adjacent to the rail and adapted to be controlled by said piston-rods, and visual and audible signals carried by-the train, said visual signal adapted to be operated by the movable means, and said audible signal arranged to be operated by the visual signal, in a certain position 'DllBIGOf' 5. In a railway signaling system, visual and audible signals carried by the train, two blocks, means adapted to hold said blocks adjacent to the rail, means adapted to raise and to lower said blocks and to permit of the successive actuation of the visual signal by said blocks,'when occupying a raised position, and said visual signal adapted to actuate the audible signal, at the proper time. 6. In a railway signaling system, means arranged adjacent to the rail, a disk having varied-colored signals and an electrical bell carried by the train, said means adapted to actuate the disk, and means carried by the diskadapted to actuate said bell.

7. In a railway signaling system, means arranged adjacent to the rail, a disk having varied-colored signals, an electrical bell and a battery carried by the train, said means adapted to actuate the disk, and means carried by,-

saiddisk adapted to close the circuit of the battery and to actuate the bell at a defined position of said disk.

8. In a railway signaling system, an obstruction arranged adjacent to the rail, a disk having varied-colored signals, and means ar ranged in the path of the obstruction carried by the train, said means adapted to rotate the disk, when actuated by said obstruction.

9. In a railway signaling system, a block arranged adjacent to the rail, a disk having varied-colored signals, a bell, and means arranged in the path of the block carried by the train, said means adapted to rotate the disk when actuated by the block and said disk adapted to actuate the bell, when occupying a certain position. a

10. In a railway signaling system, a block arranged adjacent to the rail, a wheel arranged in the path of the block, a disk operatively connected with the wheel, a bell controlled by .the disk,said wheel, disk and bell carried by the train.

11; In a railway signaling system, a block arranged adjacent to the rail, a disk having varied-colored signals and a bell carried by the train and adapted to be operated by the block, and means adapted to permit of the return of the disk to its normal position.

, 12. In a railway signaling system, a block varied-colored signals and a bell carried by the train and adapted to be operated by the block, and means adapted to permit of the manual return of the disk to its normal position.

13. In a railway signaling system, visual and audible signals carried by the train, two blocks.

arranged adjacent to the rail adapted to suecessively actuate the visual and audible signals, piston-rods adapted to actuate wayside signals and to hold the blocks in operative and inoperative positions.

14:. In a railway signaling system, a block arranged adjacent to the rail, means adapted to actuate wayside signals cont-rolling the operative position of the block, a wheel arranged in the path of the block, a disk operatively connected with the wheel and a bell operatively connected with the disk, said wheel, disk and bell carried by the train and adapted to be actuated by the block, when occupying an operative position.

15. In a railway signaling system, a block arranged adjacent to the rail, means adapted to actuate wayside signals controlling the operative position of the block, a wheel arranged in the path of the block, a disk having variedcolored signals operatively connected with the wheel and a bell operatively connected with the disk, said wheel, disk and bell carried by the train and adapted to be actuated by the block when occupying an operative position, and means connected with the signalingdisk adapted to permit of the return of the same to its normal position.

16. In a railway signaling system, in combination with means adapted to actuate wayside signals, a block having an arched head adapted to be controlled by the wayside-signal-actuating means, a wheel carried by the train adapted to be brought into contact with the arched head of said block, and to be actuated by the same, and visual and audible signals carried by the train operatively connected with said wheel and adapted to be operated by said wheel when contacting with the arched head of said block.

17. In a railway signaling system, in combination with means adapted to actuate wayside signals and visual and audible signals carried by the train, a block having an arched head arranged adjacent to the rail, means adapted to support the block in a vertical plane and to hold the arched head in an operative position, and means adapted to return the block and its head to an operative position, when removed therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. SAURMAN.

Witnesses:

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH, 

